Corruption of Kingdoms
by Shadowstalker92
Summary: A kingdom slowly falling into despair. A king slowly falling to corruption. The kingdoms once united Clans now divided. And an unlikely hero to help save them from the ever growing darkness. Follow along on the journey as the once sunny kingdom of Armello sinks down the path of darkness from a growing evil presence known as the Rot. (Story will contain very strong adult themes.)


As a light snow started to fall, a lone wolf padded along a lowly trail through the forest; guided only by the light of the pale moon. He kept a paw on the hilt of his great-sword, his bright eyes scanning the surrounding trees for any signs of potential danger. He rolled his shoulders slightly to readjust the straps of the pack of gear he was carrying on his back.

He had recently received a letter from his clan leader ordering him to meet up with one of his fellow clan members and scout out a nearby village for any shady activity from one of the other clans. He assumed it must have been the Rat Clan that were at the center of these reports. Though cunning, the Rabbit Clan didn't seem all that much on the side of shady happenings, at least...not usually. And it was too far North to be the Bear Clan who usually secluded themselves to their overgrown forests in the southwest while they devoted themselves to their study and understanding of the Wyld.

The wolf continued along, his breath lightly rising into the night as he walked. He had been traveling the forests at night, camping during the day to avoid drawing any attention to himself. As he ducked under a low hanging branch, a small twig snapped under his paw. There was a sudden commotion and he found himself staring down the drawn arrow shaft of another wolf. There was a brief pause between the two of them before the other wolf lowered their bow.

"You aren't sneaking up on anyone making noise like that, Thane." the wolf with the bow said.

"As if you would have gotten the better of me, River." Thane replied.

"It's too late, brother." she replied returning the arrow to its quiver. "You'd already be dead."

"It's good to see you too, Sister." he replied. The two of them held a quiet pause once again as they shifted to a slightly less tense air between them, taking their paws from their weapons.

"So, did the Den Mother tell you anything in your letter?" he asked. "All she told me was to meet up with you and that we'd be scouting around in Greywind."

"She gave me the same information she gave you." she replied.

"I see..." Thane replied as he scanned the trees once again. "Well then, shall we get moving?"

"Yes," River nodded. "My camp is set up just beyond the thickets. All I have to do is pack it up and we can head out. The sooner we get into town, the sooner we can get settled in and started on our mission."

The two of them double checked their belongings before they headed off deeper through the thick underbrush towards River's small hidden camp. Once everything was bundled up and set ready for travel, they continued on their way towards the nearby settlement of Greywind.

The two wolves padded through the forest and made their way down to the settlement. Soon, the trees started to give way and the small town started to form up around them. A few individuals were wandering about the dark and desolate streets. The two of them continued along silently, padding past a small dimly lit tavern. Thane looked towards River as if to see if she wanted to stop and get a drink but she didn't even glance at the bar as she continued past it.  
Eventually, the two of them found themselves outside a small inn. River ducked inside and Thane followed in behind her. They made their way up to the front  
desk where a lone feline.

"We'd like a room for the night." River said as she slipped a small amount of gold onto the counter. The cat swept the cold from the counter into an open paw before presenting a key to the wolf.

"Upstairs, last room on the right." she replied before pulling out a rag to wipe the counter down.

"Thank you." River said with a small nod before making her way up the stairs with her belongings. Thane walked along with her as they made their way to their room for the night. She threw her belongings onto the bed with a tired sigh.

"Well, you can have the bed then." Thane said as he set his own belongings down on the floor.

"I had planned on taking it anyway." she replied, unable to hide a small smirk. Thane chuckled a little as well before he sat down for a moment, finally able to relax for a moment. Though, he didn't sit for long when a grumble in his stomach caught his attention.

"Guess I am a bit more hungry than I realized." he chuckled before getting up and making his way to the door. "I am going to get some food, would you like anything?"

"Sure, I could eat something." she replied with a small nod. Thane nodded and slipped outside the door and made his way downstairs for some something to eat. Thankfully, there was a kitchen with the inn so Thane was able to get a platter of food for them to eat. A short while later, he made his way back up to their room. He walked inside and shut the door behind him. As he turned, he found himself gazing upon a mostly naked River.

"O-oh, sorry." he said turning away abruptly.

"It's fine." she replied as she slipped on simple tunic to comfortably sleep in rather than her armor. "It's not like you haven't seen me naked before. We did use to bathe together."

"Y-yea..." he replied as he set the food down on the table. "But we were much younger at the time. That was back when we were still basically pups." He turned his back to her as he removed his own armor which mostly consisted of a hardened leather tunic over top of a set of light but durable chain mail. He then donned a simple pair of pants that covered his wool under garments.

"You're too modest, little brother." she chuckled before sitting down to enjoy some of the food he had brought up for them. Thane sat down with her to eat as well. It had been a while since the two of them had been able to just sit down and unwind, let alone spend some time together.

They spent the time to catch up with their current happenings until the food was gone. After washing their hands and faces in the wash basin provided, they got settled in for the night. River crawled into the bed while Thane spread out a simple bedroll on the floor. Soon, both of them drifted off for some much needed and undisturbed rest.

* * *

Even though it was well into the night, there were a fair number of residents out and about going about their night in the small town. The chill and soft snowfall didn't seem to be bothering the townsfolk all that much. A lone rat glanced back and forth slightly before slipping into a small tavern.

Once inside, the rat slipped his hood down on his cloak and brushed off a little snow from his shoulders before he scanned the dimly lit room. There were quite a few individuals at the pub, most using the excuse to get out of the cold to get a drink. The rat hoped he could find his contact amongst the common rabble.

He scanned over those nursing their pints of ale but didn't see the individual he was supposed to meet. With a sigh, he sat at a small table in the back corner of the tavern by himself. He started to softly whistle a small tune; one that would only really be familiar to those among the Rat Clan. A short moment later, a second individual sat down beside him.

"Running a little late, aren't we Mecurio?" the cloaked fox pipped in softly.

"I'm here aren't I, Spymaster Fennet?" the rat replied with a little chuckle.

"True...that you are." she replied, the fennec's ears twitching under her robe's hood. "I am glad you did come though. After all, information is one of the best weapons someone can have in these trying times."

"That it can be." the rat replied in a hushed tone. He gave a small nod to one of the bar maids who soon brought him a mug of ale. The fox beside him shook her head when offered a mug herself. He took a fair drink from his mug before setting it down on the table. "So...what can you tell me?" he asked.

"Now now Mecurio...you know I don't give out information to anyone." She chimed back. Mecurio nodded and fished a small leather pouch of coins out of a pocket in his cloak and set it on the table with a small clink. The fox's ears perked up slightly at the sound of the coins in the bag. She took the pouch and tucked it into her cloak.

"It seems the wolves are on the move once again." she said softly as she moved slightly closer to him so only he could hear her next words.

"Oh?" Mecurio replied taking another drink. "Do tell."

"Thane has been making big moves throughout the North." she added. "It seems like he is trying rally some of the scattered wolf tribes in the mountains and get them to join his cause."

"Hmm...so the arrogant 'Prince of the North' is gathering more forces." the rat muttered. "He already had a fair number of blades behind him. Why would he need to gather more?"

"That bit I don't know." the vixen replied. "But I do know he isn't the only wolf on the move. River, the Huntress seems to be getting in touch with some of the rangers in the surrounding forests. And the Shield Maiden, Magna, was marching her forces to the East towards the far end of Mount Greymane."

"The Huntress and Shield Maiden both on the move too?" He asked taking another drink. "I guess the Wolf Clan isn't the only Clan on the move as well..."

"It would seem that Amber is trying to increase the fame of the Rabbit Clan." Fennet replied. "And Sana of the Bear Clan has been taking a particular increasing interest in the stone circles lately."  
"Well, the Bear Clan has always had a strong interest in the Wyld." Mecurio chortled.

"Indeed...but even this interest seems a bit more excessive than usual." She replied.

"So, all the pieces are in play." the rat said as he stared into his mug, swirling the last bit of ale in the bottom of the cup before downing it in one last gulp, setting the mug on the table with a solid wooden thunk. "This makes things more...interesting."

* * *

The sun was nearing the horizon as a lightly armored rabbit neared the entrance to some old crumbling ruins. Trailing close behind her, a nervous looking frog whom was her squire, carried an extra pack of gear for their explorations. A light wind chilled the air and rustled patches of dead grass near the dungeon's entrance. A low howl could be heard coming from within the ancient ruins.

"W-what was that, Lady Amber?" the frog asked a little worried, stopping to look around.

"Relax, Slippy." the rabbit replied as she slipped a torch from the loops on her pack. "It's just the wind passing through the ruins. It's how this place got the name 'The Howling Vaults'."

"Oh...o-okay." he replied and quickened his pace to catch up.

"Well...that and these ruins are said to be some old burial chamber once belonging to the Clan of Winter Fangs." she replied with a small smirk.

"T-the...Clan of...W-Winter Fangs?" the frog stuttered, looking more worried about the thoughts of entering a possible old tomb.

"Yep." the rabbit replied looking at him directly with a serious look. "The Clan of Winter Fangs was said to be a fierce tribe of wolves from times long before us." As she spoke, her tone grew more hushed as she grew near to her squire. "It was said that rather than return on the heels of defeat, some of their most noble warriors would steel themselves and fall upon their own blades on the battlefield...taking their own lives than return to their tribe as failures in combat."

By now, she had moved to stand behind her squire, talking quietly over his shoulder.

"R-really...?" he said shaking slightly.

"Yes." she nodded. "These ruins are said to be a burial and resting place for their greatest warriors and hold many of their treasures. They also say that the howling isn't the wind but actually the howls of the warriors once laid to rest as they wail with the thirst for another battle."

Seemingly on cue, another howl could be heard on the wind coming from the vaults. As the scared frog trembled more, the rabbit grinned slightly.

"BOO!" she yelled loudly as she stamped her foot hard behind him.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! NOOOO NOO NOOOO!" the frog cried out.

"Relax Slippy." she laughed. "I'm only pulling your leg."

The frog took a moment to collect himself before puffing up as he looked at her.

"L-Lady Amber! How many times do I tell you? Don't do that!" he huffed. The rabbit laughed more and patted his shoulder.

"And yet you still enjoy being my squire." she said. "Now, enough playing around." She lit the torch and started making her way down the old stone steps into the dungeon. "Those hidden treasures aren't going to find themselves."

The little frog sighed before readjusting his pack and followed her in. The two of them ventured into the dark, with only the torch to guide them along. The flicking light cast long and wicked looking shadows along the ancient walls, painting a creepier feel to the tombs on top of the frequent howling winds.

Amber looked at a small map from her pocket. After a moment, she slipped it back into a pouch on her leather armor.

"It's not much farther to the center of the ruins." she said before turning down a separate path. They padded along in silence save for the occasional low wailing or crumbling of the old stones around them. It wasn't long before a light grew from the chamber ahead of them and the two of them soon found themselves standing before a stone walkway over a black pit. In the center of the room at the end of the bridge was a platform with several old wooden chests.

"This way, Slippy." she said putting her torch aside since the room was filled with sunlight streaming in through the various cracks in the ceiling. "And watch your step. It's a long way down."

Amber slowly made her way across the old walkway, testing her footing for any loose stones that might make her fall into the abyss below. Once at the chests, she knelt down and fished a small metal pick from her pack. She worked it in the lock on the chest, her long ears listening carefully for the soft metallic click of it opening.

After a moment, the metal lock fell away with a clunk and she slowly opened the chest. Inside was a glistening mass of coins, mostly gold mixed in with silver and bronze ones too. There was also the occasional jewel and gemstone.

"Alright Slippy, hand me one of the empty sacks." she said holding her paw back. When there was no reply, she turned back. "Slippy?"

She was met with the site of three tough looking figures. One of them, a battle-torn badger, held the terrified frog with a dagger to his throat. Amber went to reach for her own blade when the main bandit pressed his blade to the squire's throat.

"Aah...I wouldn't do that... unless you want to watch your scared little friend here bleed out in a matter of moments." he said with a low chuckle. The other two bandits chuckled with him, their hands on their blades also.

"What do you want?" Amber asked. "Is it the treasure? There is plenty hear for all of us." The badger barked with laughter.

"You think we are going to just share it and be happy? Are you that fucking dumb?" he asked. "How I see it...there are four treasures there. A chest for each of us...and well... we might share you." He gave her a cold glare. "I mean, my boys here haven't had proper fun with a lady in quite some time...but...I get you first."

"That's not going to happen." the rabbit replied sternly. The badger seemed pleased with her response.

"Oh? Going to fight back?" He grinned. "Gooooood." In a quick motion, he slipped his dagger across the frog's throat, splitting it open with ease. Amber watched in horror as Slippy fell to the stone floor, blood rapidly spilling from the gash in his neck. In a few short moments, the frog was still in a pool of his blood.

Amber drew her short sword with one paw as well as it's sheath in the other. It opened up into a parasol that she held as a shield. "You won't be leaving here alive." she hissed. The other two bandits drew their blades as their leader stepped forward.

"We can say the same about you." he grinned. "But not before we've all had our fill of fucking you."

* * *

On the other side of the kingdom, a bear was waking and getting ready to start her day. After splashing some water on her face from the small basin by her bed, she donned her slipped on her leather gauntlets and donned her cloak. She then grabbed a wooden staff that had a shimmering oval stone ensnared in its branches before setting out from her hut to welcome the new morning.

The sun was just starting to reach over the horizon, though only its warm orange glow could be barely seen through the dense trees surrounding the small secluded village. The bear took a deep breath of the fresh dawn air, enjoying the scent of the dew-covered flowers that grew around her hut. She then proceeded to make her way through the village, greeting the other bears of her clan that had also awoken early to greet the dawn as well.

"Greetings, Forest Sister." a male bear said as she approached.

"And greetings to you as well, Brother Elaruis," she replied with a warm tone.

"It seems like it will be another beautiful morning, doesn't?" he replied as he looked out through the trees. She nodded.

"Aye, that it does indeed." She agreed as she followed his gaze.

The two bears stood there in silence for a moment before the male spoke up.

"Have you been to see the All Seer yet?" He asked.

"No, I have not." She replied. "I was going to check a few things before I went and seen her today."

"Good." He said with a nod. "I wouldn't delay too long. It seems like she wanted to talk to you about a matter of utmost importance. So, I wouldn't keep her waiting." She gave a small nod as she spoke.

"Thank you, Brother Elaruis. I shall go see her shortly." The female replied. He nodded and gave a warm smile.

"Very well." He replied with a small bow. "I must depart at this time. I was given some recent reports about some troubling news pertaining to one of the ancient stone circles deep in the Life's Blanket Forest."

"Troubling news?" She asked a little worried. "Is it something to be concerned about?"

"No, not at all Sister." He replied with a casual wave of his paw. "There had been whispers of vandals possibly defacing the stones at Seer's Rest. I was going to take a few warriors with me and take a look to see if the words were true and if any damage had been done to the Circle."

"I see." She replied with a soft nod. "Well then, safe travels to you, Brother Elaruis. May the Wyld protect you on your journey."

"And to you as well, Sister Sana." Elaruis replied with another bow before departing. Sana shifted her staff in her paws and gave a small sigh. She wasn't too keen on wanting to meet with the All Seer. The All Seer was an elderly bear who was probably the most knowledgeable about the Wyld among her tribe, if not all of the Bear Clans.

The All Seer had currently been trying to teach Sana about using a Wyld technique known as "The Sight". It was said that those who were in tune and harmony with the Wyld could use this gift to see things. Things that have already been and things that have yet to be. Those could even use the site to scry and even communicate with individuals kingdoms apart the stronger and more knowledgeable they were with the Wyld.

Sana's was making progress with her training, but her progress was not as great as she was hoping it would be. With another sigh, the bear slowly made her way through the village. On the far side, there were a large set of stone steps that led up a steep hill that overlooked the village. It was at the top of this hill where the Seer would spend most of her days, communing with the Wyld and seeing all she could. As she crested the hill, she spotted the Seer, meditating on a flat stone in the lush green grass.

"Greetings, Forest Sister." the old bear said with a old and hushed voice.

"Greetings, Forest Mother." Sana replied with a slight bow. She fidgeted with her paws a little.

"Is something wrong, my child?" the old bear asked. "Sit, talk." she added, gesturing to another flat rock without even looking.

After a moment, Sana sat down with a small sigh. "Nothing is hidden from you, is it, Forest Mother?" she asked.

"Well, they don't call me the 'All Seer' to humor me, now do they?" the bear chuckled.

"No, I guess not." she added.

The old wise bear then turned and faced Sana directly. "You still haven't answered my question, though." Sana looked off, remaining silent before finally speaking up.

"It's just, I feel like my training isn't coming along smoothly." she finally admitted. "It seems that no matter how much I practice, no matter how hard I work at it, I just can't get a grasp on it." The old bear simply watched her as she spoke.

"I...I just feel like a failure when I try and try and can't succeed." Sana added.

"My child, you don't need The Sight to see that any progress, is still progress, despite the overall outcome." the Seer replied softly. "It may feel like you are not getting anywhere, but as long as you keep practicing and trying to further yourself, you are still getting somewhere." Sana opened her mouth to protest, but remained silent.

"You are right, Forest Mother." she softly admitted. "I have been so frustrated with myself that I failed to notice the most simplest of things. I am sorry for any doubt I have had."

"It is alright, Sana." she replied. "You still are attempting to make progress. That speaks great measures to your faith in your training regardless."

"Of course, All-Seer." Sana replied with a nod.

"Well then, my child. We have spoken enough as it is, this morning." the wise bear spoke up. "Shall we resume with your training?"


End file.
